Ben Carson’s alleged lies and the media feeding frenzy

Originally published by Communities Digital News

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 9, 2015 —Well, it was only a matter of time before they went after Ben Carson. They waited until he became the frontrunner, outdistancing even Trump. Then they circled the wagons.

You see, Carson contradicts the narrative of the mainstream media. Republicans are supposed to be the party of racism, and Ben Carson is seeking nomination to the presidency as a Republican. You can’t do that, Ben! You should know better!

Never mind that Abraham Lincoln and associates started the Republican party as the anti-slavery party. Never mind that many Democrats supported slavery first and the Jim Crow laws later as an alternative practice born from their detestable bigotry and ignorance.

Never mind all that! Today Republicans are known as the racists. If they criticize Obama, it is only because they can’t handle a black president.

How then does this narrative explain the popularity of Ben Carson among so many Republicans and conservatives?

Well, if dirt can be dug up, you don’t have to explain anything. And so (as if any of this is a surprise) the man’s integrity is now being called into question.

To Carson’s credit, he held a press conference immediately to address the allegations. But often, while trying to answer a question, he had to talk over several interrupting reporters who zoomed in like vultures late for their lunch.

Such investigative journalistic zeal has been rather fleeting in the face of another presidential candidate accused of lying, one Hillary Clinton.

Then again, Hillary doesn’t contradict the politically correct talking points. Ben Carson does.

You see, according to Democrats and their cheerleading squad (otherwise known as the mainstream media) you can’t be a black conservative.

Black conservatives are not truly black. They are Oreos, black on the outside, white on the inside.

Now mind you, the powers that be simply make this stuff up as they go while everybody else rolls over and plays dead so that they won’t be called “racist.”

Well, not everybody. Not Ben Carson. He has spoken out against political correctness. He has even visited African-American neighborhoods in an attempt to offer some peaceful wisdom in place of all the race-baiting associated with the whole “Black Lives Matter” movement.

Now, Carson is forced to use these same reasoning skills to explain away some accusations.

The latest charge: Ben Carson fabricated his autobiography, at least according to Politico:

“Ben Carson’s campaign on Friday admitted, in a response to an inquiry from Politico, that a central point in his inspirational personal story was fabricated: his application and acceptance into the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.”

In fact, Carson never made either claim. He did not say he was accepted into West Point. He did not even say that he had applied for West Point.

Here are the exact words as they were written  his autobiography:

“At the end of my twelfth grade I marched at the head of the Memorial Day parade. I felt so proud, my chest bursting with ribbons and braids of every kind. To make it more wonderful, We had important visitors that day. Two soldiers who had won the Congressional Medal of Honor in Viet Nam were present. More exciting to me, General William Westmoreland (very prominent in the Viet Nam war) attended with an impressive entourage. Afterward, Sgt. Hunt introduced me to General Westmoreland, and I had dinner with him and the Congressional Medal winners. Later I was offered a full scholarship to West Point. I didn’t refuse the scholarship outright, but I let them know that a military career wasn’t where I saw myself going.”

Anyone who can read that text and find a claim to have applied for West Point and a claim to have been accepted at West Point must be reading with one of those 12 for a dollar secret decoder rings.

Oh by the way: Carson’s campaign was also misrepresented. They never admitted to any fabrication.

Here is what campaign manager Barry Bennett wrote to Politico:

“He was introduced to folks from West Point by his ROTC supervisors. They told him they could help him get an appointment based on his grades and performance in ROTC. He considered it but in the end did not seek admission.”

So as a young man, when he meets a general who tells him he can make arrangements to get him into West Point, Carson mistakenly thinks of that as a kind of scholarship. He thinks he is being offered one informally. And in his book, it’s portrayed more like a formal offer.

Could that section of the book have been better worded? Certainly.

Has Carson admitted it could be better worded? Yes. He said as much to Bill O’Reilly, who pointed out that anyone who gets into West Point does not pay.

That’s an interesting point. That’s even an interesting “west” point.

But the point is still minor. It is very difficult to get into this prestigious academy.  If an influential person impressed by a candidate’s accomplishments gets him in, then the candidate and any other West Point student are receiving something akin to a scholarship.

Yes,  Carson would have done better to say he was offered something “like a scholarship.” But maybe that’s what he thought he was literally being offered.  The guy was only high school age at the time.  Years later, while writing his book it probably never occurred to him that the phraseology would be an issue, especially since the central fact remains the same: Somebody did offer to get him into West Point.

We are mincing words.

Its the same cereal, just in a different box.

But mainstream reporters are going after Ben Carson like that man is a hybrid of Richard Nixon and Benedict Arnold rolled into one fun punching bag!

And what do they do when Hillary Clinton goes before the Benghazi committee? What do they do when it’s proven beyond a shadow of a doubt through the reading of recently obtained emails that she lied about the terrorist attack, blaming it on a video? What is the mainstream media’s response upon learning that the former secretary of state openly deceived the public after admitting by emails to her daughter, to the president of Egypt and to the head of Libya that she already knew it was a terror attack by an al-Qaida type organization?

“She looked composed. Great Job! Fine Job! Bad day for the Republicans. Good day for Hillary!”

Our secretary of state, now running for president of the United States, lies about our national security. This doesn’t concern the media. Ben Carson describes a genuine offer to get into West Point as a scholarship. That concerns them!

This is Bob Siegel, making the obvious, obvious.

Bob Siegel is a weekend radio talk show host on KCBQ and a columnist. Details of his show can be found at www.bobsiegel.net

 

Comments on Bob’s columns are often read aloud and responded to by Bob over the air. Readers are welcome to call in and “respond to the response.” Details of the radio show, regarding time, day and call in number can be found on Bob’s Website.